Altered Love

Altered Love



Jessica’s breath was warm and sweet on his face. She whispered so only he could hear, “You’re amazing, Henry.” Her lips swept lightly across his cheek. Just beginning to come out of an adrenaline-induced haze, the only movement he made was of his own mouth as it turned upward into a wicked smile. He didn’t even notice as she slipped away through the crowd that had gathered.

Suddenly, a large hand grasped Henry’s arm and he was being swung around face to face with one of the Sonic Club’s monster-size bouncers.  Beads of sweat began to run down his temples. He brought up his free hand to wipe away a droplet that was tickling him, but the bouncer quickly secured that hand too.

Henry could see a young man’s body lying deathly still on the ground as he peered past the bouncer’s leg. Everything had been silent in his ears as the rage had surged through him and he had punched and kicked the guy now on the ground- everything silent, except for Jessica’s magical voice. The sounds of chaos now surrounded him. The man holding him was yelling at him to hold still, but the rush of victory made him feel as if he would explode.

Smiling like a mad person and bouncing, as much as he could while being restrained, Henry shouted triumphantly to the burly man, “I did it! I got him…I got him to stop!” His face turned dramatically from sheer joy to hatred and spoke loudly towards the guard again, “Do you know what that guy was doing to my girlfriend?”

“No, I don’t. But you’d better wait to say anything until the cops get here to take your statement,” relied the guard.

Ignoring the advice, Henry screamed above the noise “He was raping her, but I saved her! She asked me to come by here to walk her home, and I found him holding her up against the wall- so I hit him!” Then he frantically tried to scan the faces to find Jessica. He was squirming, but his small frame was easily held by the massive bouncer. “Where’s Jessica? Is she safe now?” laughing and rambling, Henry kept speaking loudly, “She’s okay now, I saved her…”

He didn’t resist while being shoved into a police car. He kept looking from face to face, hoping to see her step out unharmed. The colored lights’ endless blinking made him dizzy. He closed his eyes and thought lovingly of her…



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